


Endless Summer Nights

by undenanable



Series: Jukebox Jams in Fiction [2]
Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: 80's Setting, British Jinyoung, Countryside of Italy, Genius Jinyoung, Italian Daehwi, Jinyoung is very innocent, M/M, Of Wine?, Pining, Summer, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-12 21:32:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13555998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undenanable/pseuds/undenanable
Summary: Jinyoung is a boy genius who travels to Northern Italy in pursuit of greater knowledge. But instead of learning new ideologies and old philosophies, he finds himself discovering what it means to be at the prime of his youth.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, I promised myself I'd write PanWink and start writing it at the end of our thesis defense. I blame Elio and Oliver for this. So yes, this story is in fact inspired by Call Me By Your Name, except this is unadulterated because I don't want any protective moms killing me for making smut or killing myself out of guilt. This is yet again, another 80's au fic. Call Me By Your Name was set in the 80's. I'm not a philosophy major nor am I a history major so most references are just half-assed google searching and youtube videos. 
> 
> This fic is dedicated to Ate Kath, my favorite mutual who is already hard at work so she probably couldn't read the first time I gave this to her. I was still debating if I should post this after finishing Chapter 2 but I'm so impatient and I couldn't sleep at night so yeah. I already made Chapter 2 and I'm going to post it after making long paragraphs of Chapter 3. 
> 
> The song for this 80's story is Endless Summer Nights by Richard Marx.

 

 

  

Tuscany, Italy : 1983

 

The summer heat in Italy wasn't what Jinyoung had expected when he grabbed the opportunity to work under one of the most notable history professors of their time. The trip from Florence to the little town in Tuscany was exhausting in the torrid climate but complaining was out of question. It was his one way ticket to an even greater credibility at Cambridge and Jinyoung was not going to let the draining weather hinder him towards the road to scholarly acclaim.

 

Nonetheless, the scenery was beautiful, picturesque in a way that made it look like it came straight out of an impressionist painting from some renowned Italian painter. It was no surprise to Jinyoung that these men were inspired by their place of origin. The image by the window was enough to keep him from feeling uncomfortable around the curious gazes of locals. He knew that from the very moment he would travel across different countries in Europe that people would find his features odd. People would often mistake him as Chinese and he'd correct them in their own native language (much to their surprise) since Jinyoung was fluent in over ten different languages. It was easy enough to travel around Italy with the proficiency of the country's language, a skill he had acquired through years of study.

 

His adoptive parents were brilliant people, his mother being a professor at Cambridge university with a doctoral degree in political science and his father also a professor at the aforementioned university with a masters degree in literature. At a young age, they had already fed Jinyoung with philosophies, doctrines and laws that not many eight year olds would know about. He was home schooled for most of his life and managed to skip a few grades and advanced to high school at the age of thirteen. He finished secondary education at the age of fifteen and now, he was following in his parents' footsteps. Jinyoung was the youngest student in his class and also considered as one of the most brilliant. His choice of study was history. Completely different from his parents' but somehow the subject overlapped one way or another.

 

In pursuit for greater knowledge, his father had told him to visit an old friend of his in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. He asked the bus to stop at the vineyard with an entrance that was specifically stated by his father, one that had the sign that said "Novellino's Vineyard". Once he had stepped off the bus, he was greeted by a young boy, one that looked just about his age. He looked Korean as well. It never would have occured to Jinyoung that he would meet another Korean in a countryside in Europe.

 

"Uhm, is this the way to Professor Romano's home?" he asked in Korean, just in case the boy didn't understand Italian or English.  
"Yeah," the boy answered back. "My name is Daehwi but people here call me David."  
"My dad told me that Professor Romano also had an adopted son but he never said that the child was Korean. Nice to finally meet you, I'm Jinyoung." Jinyoung had offered his hand out as a form of formal greeting but Daehwi looked like he was reluctant to take it.

  
"You're younger than all of the students that come here to work with my father." Daehwi had changed his language from Korean to Italian this time. His italian sounded more natural, like his tongue had been more accustomed to it. He ignored Jinyoung's hand altogether as well.  
"I'm eighteen," Jinyoung replied in Italian as well but his accent had a heavy English ring to it. He retreated his hand, seeing that Daehwi would never consider responding to the gesture. "But yeah, I'm more brilliant than any of the students your father has ever worked with."

 

There was a faint smile on Daehwi's lips, one that Jinyoung never expected to match the beautiful image of an Italian summer's day.

 

* * *

 

Professor Romano's land was comprised of vast vineyards, a variety of fruit trees and shrubs at the corners of their house's exterior, blooming with beautiful flowers. Their home had an old antique feel to it like it was built centuries ago. Daehwi had led him to a study where he sees a middle aged Italian man with his nose in a book, who he assumed was Professor Romano.

 

"Jinyoung!" The man approached him with a warm smile and kisses on both of his cheeks in greeting. "Your father has told me all about you in his letters. I'm glad you met my son, David. He's Korean just like you."

 

"Yeah, I've noticed," he glanced at Daehwi, who was already making an exit out of the study. "Anyways, it's a pleasure to finally work with you, Professor. I'm sure you have a lot for me to work on during my stay?"

 

"So that's what your father told you, huh? Actually, he said you'd be here on vacation. Let loose for a while before you start working hard for your Master's degree" Professor Romano sounded all too enthusiastic when Jinyoung had shifted his look of excitement to irritation. His parents had been urging him to take a break for months. He never knew they would resort to such underhanded tactics.

 

"But don't worry, Jinyoung" Professor Romano added, seeing the look of great astonishment from the young man "I'll still take you to my archeological expeditions and discoveries whenever I have some. I'll also give you a couple of paper work that you can do but it's not as intensive so I urge you to take this time to cool off and just relax. You've been working your entire life. Your parents are worried about you."

 

"They wired me this way" Jinyoung had a tendency to speak his mind, a trait he had inherited (as people would say) from his outspoken adoptive mother. "I can't just sit around here and soak under the sunlight until I turn into a crisp when I could be gaining more ideas, discover knew ideologies."

 

"But you will, Jinyoung. At the same time, you will have fun in the summer like what normal seventeen year olds do. Make new memories, boy. You're so young. Knowledge is unlimited and the pursuit is endless but you have to know when to make a few pit stops first."

 

Professor Romano's words were imploring, more so for a stranger he had just met. He nodded and decided not to reply anymore, thinking any sort of defiance would be in vain. He was already here and his flight back to England was in two months. In the end, he had no choice but to comply to the vacation his parents had set up for him.

 

"David will show you to your room," Professor Romano flashed a triumphant smile.

 

* * *

 

The room they had prepared for him was at the second floor with the same antique feel to it. White walls that made the room brighter as the sun's rays beamed through the balcony and a bed at the center of the room. There were shelves filled with books across the bed and a wooden table filled with music sheets.

 

"This is actually my room," said Daehwi "But my father says you might like the view here so I'll take the one adjacent to this. We only share one bathroom though so lock the door if you decide to pee or wank"

 

Jinyoung was caught off guard by the last part. The topic of anything sexual never failed to make him flustered even amidst his various academic study on the histories of the world. Sure, it was okay if other people do it but to assume he would do such to himself, made his cheeks turn into a tint of red. Daehwi had caught on to his embarrassment and managed to laugh at Jinyoung's innocence. "The boy genius is actually embarrassed. People in history have done more appalling sexual proclivities. Why do you still seem fazed?" asked Daehwi.

 

"People in history" Jinyoung pointed out. "Not me."

 

Daehwi had made Jinyoung feel like he was a twelve year old undergoing puberty rather than an eighteen year old genius who was almost graduating from a prestigious university. It infuriated the daylights out of him.

 

"Right," Daehwi smiled.

 

Jinyoung cursed the heat for forming him thoughts that revolved around Daehwi being utterly elysian when he smiled. From the moment they had met, Jinyoung always seemed to make a fool out of himself around Daehwi. Before he could say anything else that might warrant him some sort of small victory this time, the other boy had already reatreated to his room.

* * *

 

For most of the afternoon, Jinyoung had slept due to the long winding journey to Tuscany. In the evening, he ate dinner with Professor Romano, his wife, Emilia, and Daehwi. Emilia was stunning, a woman who was beautifully ripe in her mid-forties with brunette locks and a face akin to women on the covers of beauty magazines. She had an aura of confidence to her but also with a homey presence that didn't make her seem too intimidating.

 

"So Jinyoung, how are Rose and Alaric?" Emilia asked.

 

Rose and Alaric Clyne were his parents' names but most people in the academic society called them Doctor Clyne and Professor Clyne respectively. It was their close friends and relatives that had the privilege to call them on a first name basis.

 

"They're fine. Always busy I guess. Mum and Dad are both making books so they have their hands tied," replied Jinyoung.

 

"That's wonderful! Your father was considered as one of the candidates to win a Nobel Prize for literature last year. I hope he gets the acclaim he deserves this year," Emilia chimed.

 

"Dad's not really aiming for a Nobel Prize. He said he just wanted his work out there. Imprint his name in history," said Jinyoung.

 

"Well, your father has always been a proud man." said Professor Romano. "In his letters, he never forgets to mention that his son was going to continue his legacy in the pursuit of great ideologies"

 

There was a small smile on the corners of Jinyoung's face, a sense of pride for being his father's son.

 

"David," Emilia turned her attention towards her son, who was popping grapes into his mouth. "You're heading to that town party tonight, right? Is Marcella and Daniel going with you?"

 

"Yes," Daehwi answered.

 

"Bring Jinyoung with you," Jinyoung shot up at Emilia's request, feeling nervous at the thought of meeting new people.

 

"Uhm, thank you Emilia but I'm not really a fan of social events," Jinyoung mumbled.

 

"Oh nonsense," Professor Romano told him, sounding almost too enthusiastic to get Jinyoung out of the house. "Have fun, Jinyoung. It may not be a part of your abundant vocabulary but just give it a try."

 

Jinyoung's idea of fun never involved social gatherings of any sorts and it most especially did not involve dancing with a crowd of people but Professor Romano and Emilia looked hopeful, almost expectant and Jinyoung had always been reminded by his mother to never disrespect his host. And to his great misfortune, he gave in to their request and agreed to accompany Daehwi to the town's social gathering.

 

Their mode of transportation were bicycles. Two of which both had baskets in front and painted in dull blue colors. "You can borrow father's bike," Daehwi told him. "You do know how to ride a bike, right Einstein?"

 

Jinyoung positioned himself on the bicycle seat and kicked the stand off the ground. He shot Daehwi a glare before peddling ahead and leaving him behind.

 

"Do you even know where the party is, genius?" Daehwi yelled and followed after Jinyoung afterwards.

* * *

 

As expected, it was too lively for Jinyoung's liking. There were too many people laughing, having a great time and just dancing to some pop rhythm that had italian lyrics to it. It was in the middle of town in a square decorated with flouresecent lights hanging from one corner to another, lighting up the dance floor. Tables were positioned at the sides where people mingled and talked. Sometimes, Jinyoung felt that he would get stared at. The eyes of people who think he was someone invading a foreign land were a huge part of his life but sometimes he can never really help but feel uncomfortable by it. It was why he preferred staying indoors.

 

The only social events that Jinyoung ever attended were ones that involved just old and middle-aged people talking about new discoveries or private dinners with his father's colleagues. Most of the people at the venue looked Jinyoung's age or a little bit older.

 

He tailed behind Daehwi, going through sweaty bodies that were tinged with both alcohol and nicotine. Daehwi led him to a corner of the venue where he stood in front of two people who were publicly making out against a tree. Witnessing the whole scene made Jinyoung blush scarlet but it didn't seem to faze Daehwi one bit. Both of them pulled away from each other once they noticed Daehwi. They smiled after getting caught, giving him a more playful look rather than a bashful one.

 

"Damn guys, you just can't seem to get your hands off each other," Daehwi commented.

 

"Can never really get my hands off of this one," the guy pulled his girlfriend close, resulting to the girl giggling giddily in the arms of her lover.

 

"Right," Daehwi sounded like he was used to their sappy exchanges and merely replied monotonously to the guy's reply. "This is my dad's new assistant, Jinyoung."

 

"Oh he's asian!" the girl responded with too much enthusiasm.

 

"Korean," Jinyoung corrected. "But yes, also asian. Actually a Brit now. Legally."

 

"Nice, I'm Daniel and this is my girl, Marcella," the guy who introduced himself as Daniel reached out his hand in greeting.

 

"Pleasure," Jinyoung responded to the gesture before retreating his hand back immediately after.

 

"Alessandro and the others invited us to go to the lake later, want to come?" Marcella asked.

 

He and Daehwi both looked at each other, in a way, looking for an answer from each other. But Daehwi, as headstrong as he looked, smiled at Jinyoung (teasingly to the annoyance of Jinyoung) before nodding to his friend, "Sure."

 

"Great! We'll go in a couple of minutes," Marcella giggled and dragged Daniel to a group of people who looked like they were too young to hold beer bottles and cigarettes in their hands (but they were).

 

"I can't swim," Jinyoung whispered in Daehwi's ear.

 

"Just swim in the shallow parts. Don't worry, baby genius, I'll watch over you." Something always fueled within Jinyoung whenever Daehwi gave him this coy attitude that made him seem like he was an incompetent fool. The way Daehwi handled him always seemed like a challenge, testing the boundaries Jinyoung had set for himself all these years.

 

"Fuck you," Jinyoung cursed. He wasn't going to let some country bumpkin tell him he was incapable of handling himself.

 

But rather than come up with some nasty or smart response, Daehwi just laughed.

 

He laughed at the way Jinyoung was too worked up in the words he had thrown at him. He just couldn't stop laughing even as he made his way to his friends.

 

"Alright, Einstein. Come on, before we get left behind," Daehwi told him.

 

It was vexing. So so vexing. Why did his laugh have to resonate into a heart-thrumming ring amidst the boisterous music?

* * *

 

The lake area where everyone had gathered was beautiful even in the dim night. There was a row of lamp posts along the wooden deck which was the only source of light for anyone who wanted to go night swimming. Jinyoung had never experienced being young and rebellious before. The people Daehwi had forced him to hang out with acted like they lived by the doctrines of anarchy. They ran towards the lake, screaming from the top of their lungs like savages. Men and even women, tore their clothes off on the deck and jumped into the water.

 

He and Daehwi were the last two people left on the wooden platform. "You can stay here if you want but I promise you, the water's great" Daehwi told him.

 

"I've.." Jinyoung hesitated, afraid to be ridiculed once more by the latter.

 

"You've never done this before," Daehwi continued for him. "I know, but Einstein, you're young. We're young. There's nothing wrong with being stupid but still feeling limitless." Without waiting for Jinyoung to respond, Daehwi removed his slippers and jumped into the water, cheering fearlessly along with the others.

 

Limitless. To Jinyoung, being enthused meant the acquisition of new knowledge after minutes or hours of scanning, understanding and analyzing texts. It was never wild nights on deserted lakes with teenagers urging him to jump off. Peer pressure? Is that what they called it? Never would he have dreamed to have succumbed to it. But alas, he took off his top, removed his slippers and ran towards the edge of the deck then jumped into the water.

 


	2. Chapter 2

_"Einstein"_

_A familiar voice had called but Jinyoung didn't feel any urgency to wake up from it. "Jinyoung.." the voice had called his name again and this time, Jinyoung decided to pay attention to the owner of the voice. Never would he have expected to see the entity in front of him looking this beautiful, draped by the rays of sunlight as droplets of water run down surface of his skin after dipping in the lake._

_Jinyoung was sitting under a tree, book by his side and no longer of interest as he merely stares at the being before him. The boy moves closer, each step making Jinyoung's heart race a couple of times faster than average. "You're staring," the boy told him, one of his coy smiles gracing his features. The boy crouched down and leveled his gaze on Jinyoung's, eventually straddling his hips and sitting on Jinyoung's lap. His arms hung loosely on both of Jinyoung's shoulders._

_Words didn't seem to register in his mind and maybe this was what authors from the times of classic literature meant when they say awe-struck beings tend to leave the beholder rendered speechless. Nothing. Jinyoung no longer had a vocabulary._

_It didn't help that the boy was already inching closer and closer until space no longer existed between them. Their lips touched and somehow, in the state of utter euphoria, Jinyoung held the boy close, ignoring how his clothes were now soaked as well. In his seventeen years of living, Jinyoung has never kissed anyone. Gestures of romance or the concept of it for that matter only existed in aging pages of his father's books. His lips against another's was never something he'd expect to happen in his lifetime._

_Never did he expect to want to kiss a boy as well._

_It was messy. Heart-fluttering but so so messy. There was hunger there. An urgency of wanting to touch more than what he was allowed to. To taste more of what could be offered to him as of the moment. He could only settle with his arms around the other, holding him close as their chests press against each other._

_Electrifying._

_Jinyoung had never used that word before but it seemed to be the best adjective to describe this weird feeling that ran through his body._

_"Daehwi.." he had whispered in between their kiss. A name that still seemed to echo even if it was enunciated at a moment of breathlessness. The last thing he had heard before reality came into place._

* * *

 

Jinyoung had the tendency to blame it on Italy's dry summer heat but how else could he explain waking up with reddish cheeks and a thrumming heart.

A dream. Yes, it was all just a peculiar dream. One that actually involved a scene of dangerous passion with a person he had just met. He tapped both of his cheeks, seeking sanity amidst his flustered state. Of all the people he could have dreamt of (of all the things he could have dreamt of), it had to be Daehwi. The enigmatic and presumptuous Daehwi, a person who pushed all the wrong buttons with Jinyoung.

"Goodmorning Einstein"

Jinyoung jumped at the sound of Daehwi's cheery morning voice. "Damn it, Daehwi. You scared me."

"I know," the sound of Daehwi's laughter never seemed to change even in the earliest of summer mornings. "Breakfast is ready. Come downstairs, mom's looking for you."

"Alright," Jinyoung replied, still clutching his chest and trying to even out his breathing after the near heart attack.

"Such a drama queen" said Daehwi.

* * *

 

After breakfast, Professor Romano had decided to bring Jinyoung to a colleague of his who worked at an old book shop around town.

They arrive at a corner of town, hidden deep within narrow alley ways of limestone buildings. The name of the shop was Lorenzo and looked like it had been around for decades. It looked antique, a bit run down as if no one had decided to renovate it. Jinyoung wasn't sure what business Professor Romano had in the place but followed him inside either way. They were greeted by an old man who was seated in an old rocking chair with a book at hand. There was a fond smile on his face when he sees Profeasor Romano and stood up to kiss him on both cheeks as a sign of welcome.

"Who is this young lad you brought with you today?" the old man. "I almost thought it was David. They look a bit similar."

Jinyoung tried not to be offended by the man's comment. He's heard worst things about him before but he could never really get why other people can't tell asian people apart.

"This is Jinyoung. He's Alaric Clyne's son." Professor Romano answered.

"Ah Alaric's son," the man sounded pleased to hear Jinyoung's father's name and offered his hand in greeting. "Your father is a brilliant writer that embodies modern day romanticism. He writes his prose so so well, I couldn't understand why he never won that Nobel Prize."

"Yeah," Jinyoung took the man's hand and shook it a little before retreating. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mister.."

"Call me Renzo," the man said.

"Renzo, got it," Jinyoung replied.

"I brought Jinyoung here to see your family heirloom if that's okay" Professor Romano told him.

"Oh sure! Any boy of Alaric's can see it," Renzo then turned to Jinyoung and gave him a knowing look, "Just remember to keep it a secret, okay boy? This has been in our family for decades."

Jinyoung nodded in agreement before Renzo proceeded to go to the back of the counter and probably grab whatever that heirloom was to show to he and Professor Romano. After a couple of minutes later, Renzo returned with an old box at hand and placed it on top of the counter. Jinyoung and Professor Romano moved closer to him to see what was inside the box. "The rest of these texts are already somewhere else but the rest had been preserved by our family for generations," Renzo opened it to reveal pages of vellum hand-written in old archaic text. The lithography was familiar and then it dawned on Jinyoung that the pages were actually part of a manuscript that had long been one of the world's greatest mysteries. There was an illustration on the side that looked like lovers looking at each other in intricate scribbles. "Missing pages of the Voynich manuscript," Jinyoung mused.

"We don't really like calling it that but yes, in general terms, it is indeed pages of the manuscript," Renzo said. "My ancestor was the author of the manuscript. These are the missing pages that he didn't sell to the merchant in Germany. It talks about the principles of romance and some philosophies of social connections. I can't really read the text but the information is something passed down from our family generation to generation."

"This is so amazing. My father brought me to see the rest of the manuscript in Yale once. He had connections in their Manuscript library," said Jinyoung.

"Yeah? I heard that up until today, no one can decipher the text written. I don't really blame them. Colonization and the integration of new cultures tend to beat out old traditions and practices. Then, these old traditions and practices start to wither slowly until they are regarded as treasure," said Renzo. "But it's still amazing isn't it? The remnants of our past"

"Yeah.."Jinyoung simply nodded as he was still at awe at the discovery.

"What do you think Jinyoung?" Professor Romano finally spoke.

"Are you going to make me write a paper on this Voynitch Manuscript?" asked Jinyoung.

"Of course not, boy. No one can understand that piece of text. We're here to borrow Marsilio Ficino's Book of Life," said Professor Romano.

Somehow, Jinyoung's spirits depleted and he suddenly wished he was asked to decipher the incomprehensible manuscript instead. Jinyoung was not a fan of Ficino's discoveries or his philosophies. Sure, his concept of Neoplatoism was impressive but the Book of Life? A text that talked about how the planets were a part of how you should live your life? It was absolutely rubbish to him.

"Professor, I don't get why learning how planets dictate one's life is a subject I have to learn about," Jinyoung told him.

"You're in Italy. The land where the Renaissance was built upon and the land where decades of philosophers had roamed. You have to at least read what they have to say even if it seems like a load of bull. You might get great insight on it," Professor pointed out.

Renzo had already kept the box at the back of their store and picked out a leather covered hard-bound with gold text written on the cover that said "De vita libri tres".

"The concept of astrology may be gibberish to you, but see what Ficino has to say," said Renzo as he handed the book out to Jinyoung.

Jinyoung took the book, studying its cover before opening the book and turning to its first page. The text was in Italian which wasn't the problem exactly. He just dreaded the thought of having to make a paper for Professor Romano about how the stars aligned for good fortune or that possible misdeeds are probably the cause of the moon not being in the right place at the right time or some concept like that.

After thanking Renzo for the book and for showing them the manuscript, they exited the book store and surprisingly ran into Marcella, Daehwi's friend, along the way.

"Oh hello Professor Romano," Marcella greeted then he turned to Jinyoung, smiling in embarrassment as she tried to remember his name. "Jinyoung, right?"

"Yes," Jinyoung replied.

"Great timing, Marcella! Actually, I just remembered that another colleague of mine was around town and wanted me to show him around our vineyard. Can you take Jinyoung with you and maybe give him a tour of the town?" Professor Romano told her to which left Marcella and Jinyoung utterly confused.

"Uhm, but maybe I can go back too Professor? Maybe start on the book?" Jinyoung appealed, hoping he didn't have to spend time with some girl he only met once (Jinyoung had always been awkward around girls his age).

"Nonsense. Look around town, I'm sure you and Marcella can get along. She's a fan of your father's book," he then turned to Marcella who was still shocked but probably for another reason this time as she glanced at Jinyoung. "Please take care of Jinyoung, Marcella. Thank you"

And off he went, leaving both of them unable to understand why he seemed so adamant to leave them both alone together.

There was a minute of awkward silence between them, Jinyoung still unable to converse with her or figure out what to talk about. It was a relief that Marcella, instead, took the initiative to clear the air. "So, you're Rick Clyne's son?" she asked.

"Yes," Jinyoung confirmed. "I am indeed my father's son."

"I loved Unfathomable Clockwork. It was the best book ever written," said Marcella.

"Yeah? That book was really good but I think my father's best book would be The Night of Fury Riders,"said Jinyoung.

Marcella's face lit up almost instantly, excitement truly evident in her features. "I've never read that yet," she said. "The only thing I've read are Unfathomable Clock work and Lady After The Draught. I also loved Lady After The Draught by the way. Is it a story about your mother?"

"Actually, Lady After The Draught was about his first wife," said Jinyoung. "My mom isn't really his first wife."

"Oh," was the only thing that Marcella said before dropping the topic altogether. "Anyways, how about we grab some lunch and then I'll show you around."

* * *

 

Unexpectedly, Marcella was smarter than she looked. Jinyoung was surprised at that amount of knowledge she had regarding literature. She and Jinyoung go back and forth on books they've read as they share a meal at a small tavern at the corner of town. The pasta was delicious and their bread tickled Jinyoung's taste buds. The old tavern barely had anyone inside to which Jinyoung couldn't understand because their food is amazing.

"It's one of this town's hidden gems actually," Marcella told him. "My father and I dine here a couple of times when we're too lazy to make dinner"

"Sounds reasonable. Have you ever taken Daniel here?" Jinyoung asked. Marcella paused, her face shifting from a cheery smile to a duller glow. The curve of her lips looking more forced now.

"Nah, he doesn't like it here," she replied.

"Is Daniel okay that you're hanging out with another guy? I mean, it might make him uncomfortable or something.." said Jinyoung.

"Daniel calls me his girl but it's always just a spark between us."

"What's wrong with it just being a spark?" Marcella gave Jinyoung a look as if she was a bit hesitant to tell him. Time paused for a short while as only the bustling noise of the worker at counter and the chattering of a few newly arrived customers filled the environment. It took her a while to gather her thoughts until she finally replied.

"Wild fires that spread in great forests eventually burn out like the spark that ignites flames between two lovers." There was a glint in her eyes as grinned after quoting a line from the book written by Jinyoung's father.

"Wow, you really are a fan of my father's" was all he could say.

After their meal, Marcella spent the whole afternoon giving Jinyoung a tour of the town. So far, she pointed out where the post office was, where to get the best coffee and where to buy the best bread. While they strolled around, they managed to converse about their mutually favorite book titles. It really came to a surprise to Jinyoung how headstrong Marcella was about her opinions and how much she actually knew. He thought about how it was a waste that she was tied down by her own countryside town when she could do great things in the city.

Their last destination was at a hill top that overlooked the whole valley from the antique buildings to the fields in the outskirts of town. Jinyoung was exhausted from the hill climb and rested beside Marcella on a huge stone. They watched the sunset as the breeze fanned their sweaty faces. The view of the town was indeed amazing. Wisps of orange painted the sky along with shades of dark blue. The world down below looked smaller and Jinyoung felt bigger than himself, soaring and almost imperial. He'd never witness anything like this in the city or within the confines of his study.

"It's beautiful," Jinyoung whispered in awe.

"Yeah," Marcella replied.

"Did you bring Daniel here as well?" Jinyoung teased.

"I actually lost my virginity here," Marcella giggled.

"Oh fuck," Jinyoung blanched.

* * *

 

  
The walk home was exhausting and Jinyoung only wished he borrowed Professor Romano's bicycle when he and Marcella were hanging out. It would have been much easier for him and his sore feet. As he walked on the path going to the main house, he could here the sound of a piano resonate around the area.

He entered the house and immediately proceeded to the study to see who was playing. It came as no surprise that the person whose hands were pressing the keys in a graceful and melodic succession was Daehwi. It was an uptempo version of Claire de Lune, a composition that gave Jinyoung mixed feelings inside. Daehwi had stopped midway and turned to Jinyoung, looking rather placid under the elder's gaze.

"Why are you murdering Debussy?" Jinyoung asked.

"I thought a song dedicated to his daughter should be more up tempo," Daehwi replied. "Wine?" he lifted a glass chalice, offering it to Jinyoung.

Before making his way towards Daehwi, he left the book he borrowed on the center table and then grabbed the glass. It smelled sweet. It was a mystery even to Jinyoung what his alcohol tolerance was. He never opted to drink alcohol even during social gatherings. It wasn't like his parents forbade him to drink. They even urged him to do it but with utmost discretion.

When they told him to be discreet about it, the thought of downing alcohol never appealed to him. Not until his parents tricked him into going to Italy just for the sake of supposedly giving their son a vacation.

In Jinyoung's first sip, it tasted sweet. Very sweet. But delicious nonetheless. He sat next to Daehwi on the piano seat for two where he watches him press keys to form beautiful melodies. Jinyoung pours himself another serving of wine and sips it bit by bit until he feels himself warm up.

"Do you always drink wine?" he asked Daehwi.

"I only drink when my father has a new mixture and I guess that's most of the time so to answer your question, I often drink wine. Not always," Daehwi answered. "Did you have fun with Marcella?"

"Yeah, she's pretty intelligent. Beautiful too," Jinyoung sipped the last drop from the glass after answering and now, drowsiness was taking over him.

"Do you like her?" Silence filled the air as Daehwi had stopped playing. He didn't look at Jinyoung while he waited for an answer. His eyes were fixated on the piano keys while his long and beautiful hands rested on his own lap.

"I don't know, maybe I do," Jinyoung answered. "Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't," Daehwi replied and began playing the piano once more. It was Impromptu Fantasie in a slower tempo with added chords to fit everything in altogether. Odd how it seemed like Daehwi's own song rather than a reprised version of a classical piece. Jinyoung left Daehwi's side to rest on the soft couch, leaning his head back and closed his eyes. His body relaxed against the cushion, feeling his muscles ease as slumber slowly took over him.

* * *

 

Floating in the border of wakefulness and dream, Jinyoung still heard the sound of the piano in the background. A melancholic tune as he felt like he was drifting in the peaceful waters and basking in the darkness.

The sound came to an abrupt stop, stillness enveloping the room. He hears foot steps, an entity moving closer and closer. He could feel someone else's warm breath wash over his face. His eyelids wouldn't budge or maybe he didn't want to open his eyes and make it awkward for the person. He let it be, letting himself just drift.

"I can't believe you really forgot about me, hyung." It was Daehwi's voice in Korean. Soft and sad and left Jinyoung with questions in his head. He could feel Daehwi close, so so close, the latter's forehead softly against his. "I really missed you, hyung." He whispered.

Questions, so much questions but the void of slumber was too overpowering and took Jinyoung's consciousness once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this is boring. I had to establish how much of a genius Jinyoung is first. Probably have inaccuracies here and there. Anyways, I hope you still enjoyed it. Sorry about this cliff hanger. Stay tuned to know more!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Slight mentions of sex but not between the two main characters of course. If you're worried about how the two will go, I will assure you that there will be no smut or implications of smut between the two characters. Also, trigger warning for the use of the word "slut". I'm not sure how this chapter will be received but I have my fingers crossed.
> 
> Hmu @parkjillegal on twitter  
> I make short one shots and drabbles every now and then :)

 

 

It was an unplanned morning spent in the lake and Jinyoung was still left with unresolved mysteries from last night. Dream or reality, there was still something about Daehwi that was undeniably compelling to Jinyoung.The dream from the night before was still vivid in his head and when Daehwi approached him all soaked from swimming in the lake, Jinyoung's cheeks went blush scarlet. He was sitting by the dock, looking at Daehwi as the sun hit his form way too beautifully for his liking. It was only his third day and he was already somehow enthralled by this boy from the countryside. They held gazes for quite sometime until Marcella called out Jinyoung's name and snapped them both out of their reverie.

Marcella was with Daniel and both of them still acted like a lovesick couple who were engulfed in each other's pheromones. It made Jinyoung think that Marcella's silly little girl act was just a way for her to get into Daniel's good side, which was quite sad to say the least.

"Why don't you want to swim with us?" Marcella asked Jinyoung as she and Daniel both joined him and Daehwi on the dock.

"Yeah, we came here to have fun," Daniel added which somehow pulled a string on Jinyoung's annoyance plug to which he couldn't explain why.

"I just don't feel like getting wet," Jinyoung replied with a scowl.

"You're so uptight," And out of the blue, Daehwi pushed Jinyoung, plunging him into the water. Wild shrills of laughter erupted from both Daniel and Marcella as Jinyoung popped out of the water, shooting death glares at Daehwi who looked rather proud of himself. "Loosen up, Einstein!" Daehwi ran from the middle part to the dock then back again to the edge where he jumped and canon-balled into the water, splashing a wave onto Jinyoung's face.

"Such barbarians," Jinyoung muttered to himself. He swam at the deeper part of the lake, letting himself stay afloat on the water as he stared at the sky. Daniel and Marcella were still on the docks but now they were both trapped in their own little world. Daehwi, on the other hand, was under water swimming and just moving by himself as Jinyoung heard quiet splashing from a distance. Later on, the splashing sounds of water grew closer and he notices Daehwi floating vertically in front of him, his legs swaying on the water while Jinyoung was letting himself drift along the waves.

"Hey Jinyoung, I want to show you something," said Daehwi.

"Why am I suddenly scared that you might actually get rid of me?" Jinyoung replied.

"I promise that it's something good and I promise you won't regret it," Jinyoung looked at Daehwi to see if there was any ounce of ridicule in the way he promised him. One thing was for sure, he knew how to make a fool out of Jinyoung with that pretty little face of his.

Jinyoung took a while to reply and thus, leaving Daehwi no choice but to actually drag him towards the place. "Hey, fuck- Daehwi, where are you even taking me? What about Daniel and Marcella?"

"They're probably going to fuck each other any minute now. Come on, unless you want a front row seat to their show."

After hearing Daehwi's remark, Jinyoung never swam faster in his life.

 

* * *

 

It was the first time since arriving in this small town that Daehwi actually brought Jinyoung to somewhere more peaceful. They were deep in the meadows where the chirping of birds and the cool breeze sang its silent melodies. Tall trees shaded them from the unforgiving heat of the sun but graced them with enough light that scattered along different areas of their trail. Jinyoung tried his best to watch his step as he walked barefoot on the rough ground. Daehwi strided with ease as if he was used to the stones and soil against his feet.

"Do you need help, Einstein?" Daehwi offered his hand, seeing Jinyoung struggling as he walked. There was reluctance in taking Daehwi's offer. Trust issues that built up from their meeting up until a few hours ago still made him skeptical towards Daehwi's offers. In the end, Daehwi took the initiative to just grab his hand as he led him towards a cemented pathway. It was easier to walk now but Daehwi still held on to Jinyoung. They walked side by side as Daehwi hummed to an unfamiliar tune. Their walk through the unfamiliar woods made Jinyoung somehow pretend that Daehwi was leading him somewhere magical. It was completely absurd. One with an intellect like his should not be thinking of such childish delusions but as he devoured his father's favorite fiction books, he was always drawn to the wonders of a world so different from the reality they lived in. He adored myths and fairy tales like treasures and had too much of them in his heart than the disciplines and written realities that he was expected to know with his eyes closed.

They reached an old tree with a wooden house built on one of its sturdy branches. It surprised Jinyoung how big it looked thinking that it was usually children who preferred playing in tree houses. It looked like it was well-kept and colorful orchids grew along a wooden rail. "Can you climb, city boy?"

'Great,' Jinyoung thought 'a new nickname'

"Yeah I can climb," he said and walked towards the wooden ladder that was nailed on the tree trunk. Daehwi climbed behind him, just in case, holding him once in a while when Jinyoung seemed like he was about to fall. Once he managed to finally put his feet on the wooden platform of the house, he heaved a heavy and helped pull Daehwi up just in case.

"Thank you," Daehwi told him before lying down on the platform and exhaled in relief as well. Then, he gets up and walks inside the small house with Jinyoung following suit. There wasn't much inside. Only a couple of toys on one corner and stacks of books on the other. Daehwi picked up a big blanket that was folded on the side and spread it out on the floor. It looked a bit worn out, a bit dusty even but Jinyoung wasn't one to complain. Daehwi rested on the floor once more and tapped his empty side, inviting Jinyoung to lie down with him.

And he did.

Jinyoung closed his eyes to just feel everything and nothing all at once. Being this close to Daehwi was a bit nerve-wracking now that it finally dawned on him. After last night and after his dream the night before, he couldn't put a finger on why his mind had been filled with Daehwi. It was way too soon for him to be possibly infatuated with a person, especially with a person who liked toying with him in any way he possibly could.

"Hey Hwi"

Daehwi's eyes shot up and looked at him like Jinyoung committed some sort of inconceivable crime. His lips pursed and his eyebrows arched downwards when he told Jinyoung off on the nickname, "Don't call me that"

"I'm sorry, Daehwi" Jinyoung apologised. He wondered why the nickname was off limits. He wondered why the name sounded so natural when he said it.

"What is it you wanted to say?" said Daehwi, his annoyance dissipating in a quick second.

"Do you remember being in Korea? My parents told me they adopted me when I was eight but I got into a huge accident when I arrived in London so I don't really remember much," said Jinyoung.

"I don't remember much either but I used to live in an orphanage in Seoul. My parents adopted me when they went there to visit and the rest is just plain history," replied Daehwi.

Jinyoung knew that there was something that Daehwi was holding back from him. Last night couldn't have been a dream. "What if we stayed in the same orphanage before? Did we ever meet?" It was bait.

Daehwi was no fool either. It took him a while to respond and it annoyed the heck out of Jinyoung when he smiled and played it out as some sort of childish thought, "I don't think so. I don't think my carefree soul would have wanted to hang out with your uptight ass"

It sounded forced, rehearsed even and Jinyoung didn't know why he was doing it. But his pride got the best of him and he decided to just drop the topic of their mother country altogether. "So what do you want to do a few years after, Daehwi? Are you planning to stay in the countryside and help out in your father's vineyard?"

"I want to study music in Vienna. Maybe teach kids after. How about you? Planning to run for politics?" Jinyoung could totally imagine Daehwi in Venice. A teacher? It sounded like it would suit him. He tried imagining Daehwi teaching children how to play the piano but a grander picture came to mind. His wandering mind led him to the thought of Daehwi playing a concierto, lights dim at the audience's area with him under the spotlight. Everyone in the crowd would be entranced by his elegant features and when he started playing, they would be engulfed by his music.

"Hey Einstein, still there?" asked Daehwi, pulling Jinyoung out of his daze.

"Uh yeah, no politics. Maybe I'll work at the university like my parents, become a professor? Not sure yet exactly, I'm just working hard and trying to get whatever end goal the future is going to give me."

"That's sad. Just taking whatever the provider feeds you?" There was pity in Daehwi's tone somehow, maybe a tinge of disappointment as well.

"What do you propose I do, Daehwi? I'm adopted. My parents did whatever they could to teach me all these things, they gave me a roof above my head, a warm bed to sleep in, food on my plate and the best education they could provide. I'm just not my own person anymore."

"I'm adopted too but you don't see me wagging my tail at my parents' expectations," replied Daehwi, opening his eyes and facing Jinyoung, who in turn, gave him the exact determined gaze, he was giving the other.

"They're not my parents, Daehwi," Jinyoung replied before turning away to face the ceiling and close his eyes once more. "Why does it matter to you anyways? I'm just another stranger who works for your father. You're going to forget about me in months time when someone new comes along and has to tolerate you being such a fucking tease."

Daehwi cackled at Jinyoung's remark and he felt him scoot closer, their bodies now just a few inches apart. "You sound like you're pretty in to me." Jinyoung could feel Daehwi breathe down his neck, warm air mixed with the cool breeze that surrounded the tree house. His heart raced in a way he never thought was actually possible. Curiousity got the best of him as he swerved Daehwi's way, their eyes locked in each other. It was a kind of pull he never knew was actually possible, not between two men and most certainly not between him and this boy he's known for about two days.

"Don't flatter yourself," Jinyoung feigned a strong front, only to crumble at the touch of Daehwi's soft fingers against his cheek. He tensed at the soft stroke of Daehwi's fingertips until his palm cupped the side of Jinyoung's face, the feeling somehow oddly familiar.

"No, I guess I won't, because no respectable gentleman such as yourself would ever fall for another man, right?" Daehwi's lips curved into a somber smile before retreating his hand and moving farther away from Jinyoung.

'Time. Breathlessness.'

Did the world stop rotating for a moment when he forgot how to breathe? He stared at his perpetrator's back, trying to make sense of his disconcertment. Jinyoung has read countless of books about infatuation- its symptoms. But he'd rather die than admit that the thrumming of his heart and the warmth of his cheeks was the result of his infatuation for Daehwi, the boy from the countryside who he only met for about two days.

 

 

* * *

 

 

They returned to the lake, finding that Daniel and Marcella were already no where in sight. Jinyoung's feet finally had the comfort it needed once he finally got a hold of his slippers. When he thought he was finally going to get some work done back at home, Daehwi was on the run again, telling Jinyoung to follow him as he rode on his bike and going to who knows where. Jinyoung could have just ignored him and let Daehwi go alone so he could finally finish that reading assignment that Professor Romano gave him.

He could.

But he didn't.

And he rode on his own bicycle and followed Daehwi.

The vast field of sunflowers that Daehwi had brought Jinyoung to was a little farther down his Professor Romano's vineyard. He had seen it on his way home and the bus he took drove passed it a few days ago upon his arrival to town but seeing it up close was a whole other image in itself. Daehwi dropped his bicycle in the middle of the pathway and ran towards the field. There was a narrow walk way between the row of sunflowers where Daehwi stood as he waited for Jinyoung to catch up. Seeing the tall and blooming flowers up close, Jinyoung was in great awe. His family had a garden at home but seeing a field full of yellow under the tangerine lit setting during the late afternoon was another whimsical sight. This sort of childish wonder was being evoked within him, wondering what other wonder lands Daehwi has in store for Jinyoung who only knew of tall buildings, quiet libraries and bustling city streets.

The walk towards Daehwi's next destination wasn't as long as the way towards his tree house. This time, they stood on a small hill top that overlooked the fields of yellow and at the other side there was a sea of violet, all of which were saturated by the sunset glow. He looked at Daehwi, the memory of Marcella's confession suddenly play in his head. "Did.." he hesitated, embarrassed to even ask because it was none of his business but a part of him wanted to play it as a joke. To get back at Daehwi or trying to prove to him that he wasn't as ignorant to these things as Daehwi thought he was.

"Did you have sex with someone here too?" Jinyoung asked.

There was apparent surprise in Daehwi's expression, unable to comprehend what Jinyoung just asked him. "Excuse me?"

"I mean, Marcella told me that.."

"That I sleep around like her?" Daehwi interrupted.

"No!" Jinyoung immediately replied. "I just, well I thought.." Jinyoung stumbled on his words often but this time, it felt like his back was against the wall with Daehwi's scrutinizing eyes waiting for his answer.

"You thought what?" Jinyoung didn't mean to offend Daehwi in any way. It caught him by surprise how much the question was a big of a deal for him, given their usual teasing dynamic.

"It doesn't matter," Jinyoung dismissed. "I apologize if I offended you in any way"

"I can't believe you think I'm a slut," Daehwi replied in exasperation.

"I can't believe you think Marcella is a slut," it was a blow Jinyoung never thought he had in him. But to him, it was also utterly ridiculous that Daehwi was implying such things about his own friend- how little he actually thought of Marcella who knew so much about the world than anyone would have thought she would.

Daehwi's stare was incomprehensible. There was something hidden there. Something the other was holding back. But Jinyoung had pride and he wanted to stand by what he just said. "If you like her so much, why don't you invite her here and try it out?"

Jinyoung couldn't believe at what he was hearing and snorted at Daehwi's remark, "I can't believe you"

"You started it," It was like Daehwi was devoid of emotion, not giving Jinyoung's ego a shot at glory. "You're trying to defend her like you've known her for so long but what do you really know, Jinyoung?"

There was silence afterwards, the tension still filling the air as time remained flowing and unstoppable. But Jinyoung stood there, both he and Daehwi looking like they weren't willing to back down from a fight. And then after what seemed like forever, Daehwi spoke again.

"She's going to have you wrapped around her pretty little finger. She knows a lot, you think she's a amazing in that sense. Every man she meets does, but…" Jinyoung couldn't understand the shift in Daehwi's gaze. From fiery outrage to a softer, sadder look, Daehwi was a human puzzle Jinyoung always had a hard time figuring out.

"Forget it," and he left Jinyoung hanging once again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 _"We are easily moved by the soul, first and foremost because it is the first_  
_mobile thing, mobile from itself and of its own doing. This is because, as I have_  
_said, it contains in itself all the middles of things, and is thus nearest to each. It_  
_is connected to all things, in the middle of these things that are distant from_  
_each other, for they are not distant from it. It conforms to divine things, and to_  
_things fallen, and it verges on each with its affect, and is everywhere all the_  
_same."_

 

 _-Marsilio Ficino, What the powers consist of, according to Plotinus, that draws the favor of the_  
_heavenly bodies, that is, the soul of the world, of the stars and of daemons; souls_  
_are easily allured by the proper forms of bodies_

 

 

Jinyoung stares blankly at the text. He had been stuck on the page for so long when normally, he could read half a book in a couple of hours. Every now and then, he stares at the door leading to Daehwi's room. Sometimes, he would pick up Daehwi's music sheets and study them. He listened to classical music whenever he felt like the air was too eerie when he studied alone at night.

As he flipped through each page, he was surprised at how Daehwi had so much self-composed songs- each of them in different arrangements and in different scales, every detail written down by Daehwi on the side. Jinyoung wondered how they sounded. The silence of the night was as uncomfortable as the silence during his study nights back in England. He sort of wished Daehwi played the piano again that night, this time with music he made himself.

 

* * *

 

_"I'll never forget you, Hwi," the young boy had been crying endlessly in front of him. He, himself, could not hold back his tears. They hugged and it seemed like forever before the kind voice from behind him told him they had to leave._

_"You promised we'd stay together, hyung!" the young boy cried. "You promised"_

_"We'll meet each other again, Daehwi," he pressed a soft kiss against the sad boy's forehead, forcing himself to smile amidst his equal dread. "I promise we'll meet each other again"_


End file.
